Aug. 27, 2008

Fairfield, CT - For eight consecutive years, the Sacred Heart field hockey team has qualified for the Northeast Conference tournament. After participating in the championship game in two of the last three seasons, and with a group of six seniors hungry for a return to the top, the Pioneers are trying to make 2008 a season for the history books.

Arguably the best offensive player in Sacred Heart history, Carisa Eye (Nesconset, NY) returns for her final season leading the Pioneer offense. After a record setting season in 2006, Eye saw her production fall off slightly last year, but still led the team in scoring with 13 goals. She earned First Team All-Northeast Conference and Second Team All-Mideast Region honors with her play, helping lead the Pioneers to the playoffs. She begins her senior season as the school record holder in several key offensive scoring categories.

Carisa will be challenged this year with some of our new players, but she is always up for a challenge," Blais said. "She's in great shape and is having fun out there so I think she is going to have a great season."

The Pioneers have six seniors on this year's squad, a group that includes three captains, Melissa Mazin (Putnam Valley, NY), Amy Hendricks (Milford, PA) and Becky Dyson (Camp Hill, PA). Hendricks and Dyson will anchor one of the best defenses in the Northeast Conference. Dyson led a defense core that yielded the third fewest goals during conference play.

Hendricks was a first team All-NEC selection as an offensive midfielder helping to spark the SHU attack. Mazin became one of the Pioneers best attackers by the end of the season, finishing third on the team with three goals and three assists, nine points.

"Amy and Melissa will give us two very strong ball carriers in the midfield," Blais said. "Melissa is one of the most skilled players on the field. They both will provide a great link from the defense to the forwards."

Two more seniors return to the SHU backfield. Goaltender Whitney Mills (Harrisburg, PA) will be the starting keepers after coming on strong in the second half of the season last year. Mills allowed just five goals in eight games in 2007 and starts her final season sporting a 1.66 goals against average. Also returning for her senior year is Carsten Snow (Amherst, NH) who has been a mainstay in the defensive backfield her entire career.

"Mills has been having great practices in preseason so she should give us a good spark in the backfield," Blais said. She's a very intense player and keeps everyone in line.

Several underclassmen stepped up last year for the Pioneers and should have even bigger roles this year. Faces to watch for the red and white include juniors Dana Luhrs (Milford, PA), Stephanie Fazio (Norwalk, CT) and Whitney Russo (Waterville, ME). The trio will make-up a key component of the Sacred Heart midfield.

Seven new faces will appear on the Campus Field turf this fall for the Pioneers. The new players come from all over the Northeast, including two newcomers from Connecticut in Alex Melillo (Southbury, CT) and Kelsey Cox (Monroe, CT). Two players come to Sacred Heart following stints at the 2006 National Field Hockey Championship as New Hampshire natives Kate Boyd (Nottingham, NH) and Chelsea Carlson (Peterborough, NH) are both set to play up front for the Pioneers.

"With Kate and Chelsea teamed up with Carisa on the forward position, we should have three high-powered goal scorers on the field at all-times," Blais said.

Another award-winning defender joining the Pioneers this fall is Melissa "Tooter" Hancock (Mercer, ME). A 2007 team captain at Skowhegan High School, she was named 2007 Miss Maine Field Hockey. Rounding out the Pioneer class are Katie Mazin (Putnam Valley, NY), the sister of captain Melissa Mazin, and Sam Moran (New Vernon, NJ).

SHU kicks off its season on August 30th with a visit to UConn and will take on Maine the following day in Storrs. As September begins, the Pioneers will head to the midwest for a meeting with Miami University on September 6th and a visit to Northwestern the next day.

The Pioneers make their Campus Field debut on September 12th when they host cross-town rival Fairfield. SHU will finish the month with a three game road trip, taking on Hofstra, Yale and Saint Joseph's. The Pioneers open Northeast Conference play on September 26th when they welcome Robert Morris to Campus Field. A busy week will help the Pioneers enter October as they host future NEC member Bryant on October 3rd and take on Brown on October 7th, with a visit to Columbia sandwiched in between.

The NEC schedule takes off on October 10th when SHU takes a trip to Rider. A three game home-stand follows as Monmouth, Siena and Lock Haven all come to Campus Field. After a visit to Saint Francis (PA) on October 26th, the Pioneers return home to take on Quinnipiac to close out the regular season. The Northeast Conference Tournament, featuring the top four finishers in the regular season standings, will be held November 7-8 at the home of the highest seed.

All of the traditional powerhouses should still be in the mix, but I think Monmouth and Saint Francis (PA) will be teams to watch out for as well, Blais said."

We have a strong senior class and a very deep bench," Blais said. "Everyone is challenging people for positions and that makes it exciting because we know we can depend on everyone to play anywhere at anytime."